Here’s a traditional small-batch recipe you can make easily at home (no fancy tools required):
🥬 Fermented Cabbage (Homemade Sauerkraut)
Yield: about 1 quart (1 liter)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Fermentation time: 1–4 weeks
🧂 Ingredients
-
1 medium green or red cabbage (about 2 lbs / 1 kg)
-
1 ½ tablespoons non-iodized salt (sea salt or pickling salt)
-
Optional flavor add-ins:
-
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (traditional)
-
1–2 cloves garlic, sliced
-
½ carrot, shredded (adds sweetness)
-
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare the cabbage
-
Remove any damaged outer leaves.
-
Slice the cabbage in half and remove the core.
-
Thinly shred the cabbage with a knife, mandoline, or food processor.
2. Salt and massage
-
Place shredded cabbage in a large bowl.
-
Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 10–15 minutes.
-
Massage and squeeze the cabbage with clean hands for about 5–10 minutes, until it becomes limp and releases liquid (this is the brine).
3. Pack into a jar
-
Pack the cabbage tightly into a clean 1-quart (1 L) glass jar.
-
Press down firmly so the brine rises to cover the cabbage completely.
-
Leave at least 1 inch (2–3 cm) of space at the top.
-
If needed, add a bit of extra brine (1 teaspoon salt dissolved in 1 cup water).
4. Weigh it down
-
Use a fermentation weight or a small piece of cabbage leaf pressed under the brine to keep everything submerged (oxygen causes spoilage).
5. Ferment
-
Loosely cover the jar with a lid (or a cloth and rubber band).
-
Let it ferment at room temperature (65–75°F / 18–24°C) for 5–21 days.
-
Check daily: press down if the cabbage rises above the liquid, and taste after 5 days.
6. Store
-
When it tastes tangy and pleasantly sour (usually around 2 weeks), refrigerate it.
-
It will continue to develop flavor slowly in the fridge and keeps for several months.
🥄 Tips
-
Keep it submerged: This is the golden rule — always under brine!
-
Avoid metal utensils: Use glass, wood, or plastic tools during fermentation.
-
Temperature matters: Warmer temps = faster ferment; cooler = slower, but milder flavor.
-
White film (kahm yeast): Harmless; just skim it off. Mold (fuzzy or colored) means discard.
Would you like me to give you a spicy Korean-style version (kimchi) next? It’s a similar process but adds chili, garlic, and umami flavor.
